ENAdapt is a collaborative project designed to improve climate change resilience in Enfield by putting the needs and voices of residents at the heart of local planning. Working as a partnership between the University of Birmingham, the Enfield Climate Action Forum (EnCaf), and LocalMotion, and building on the success of WM Adapt, the project aims to bridge the gap between scientific data and the lived experiences of communities.
Why This Project Matters
The impacts of climate change—such as extreme temperatures, drought, and flooding—are intensifying in UK cities. Enfield is particularly susceptible to these hazards, a situation made more difficult by high levels of socio-economic vulnerability; currently, one-third of residents live in poverty. ENAdapt recognizes that for climate adaptation to be truly effective, it must also be an issue of climate justice. This means ensuring that “unheard voices” from diverse backgrounds are not just consulted, but are leading the efforts to protect their own neighbourhoods.
From Data to Action
The project centres on creating a Climate Risk and Vulnerability Assessment (CRVA)—a detailed map that identifies which areas and people are most at risk. Rather than relying solely on top-down data, ENAdapt uses a “ground-truthing” approach:
- Community Workshops: Local residents and community researchers will work together to validate the CRVA data and collectively envision an adapted ward based on their specific needs and priorities.
- Policy Dialogue: These community-led visions will be presented to local authorities to identify bottlenecks and create new opportunities for collaboration between the council and the public.
- Local Resilience: The project will work to lay foundations for a multi-agency borough-wide partnership – involving the Enfield Resilience Forum, community groups/networks, local authorities and businesses, utility providers, blue-light services, charities and healthcare services – tasked with developing pro-active plans for anticipating and responding to extreme weather events.
Our Goal: Bouncing Forward
ENAdapt is about more than just surviving the next heatwave or flood; it is about a “Just Transition” that transforms urban life for the better. By integrating cultural perceptions of wellbeing into climate policy, the project seeks to build a type of resilience that allows communities not just to “bounce back” from crisis, but to “bounce forward” toward a more equitable and sustainable borough.
For more information contact: enadapt1@gmail.com
EN Adapt has been made possible with additional funding from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)